Ultrastructural insights into avian herpesvirus-host cell interactions

马立克氏病病毒（MDV）是与家禽中的马立克氏病（MD）相关的主要禽类α疱疹病毒，其特征在于快速发作的T细胞淋巴瘤、免疫抑制和麻痹，每年在全球造成约20亿美元的经济损失。与其他疱疹病毒相比，MDV有几个明显的特征，最重要的一个是其严格的细胞相关复制和细胞间传播。eBIC，牛津大学结构生物学系和Pirbright研究所的目标是利用最先进的工具，如低温电子显微镜（Cryo，该项目还将利用Pirbright的病毒学专业知识探索病毒与宿主的相互作用，特别关注与淋巴瘤诱导和毒力增加相关的主要病毒癌蛋白MEQ的相互作用。因此，该项目提供了研究细胞相关高致癌性疱疹病毒的生物发生以及使用最先进的结构生物学工具探索病毒和细胞蛋白复合物的超微结构的机会。

Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a major avian alphaherpesvirus associated with Marek's disease (MD) in poultry characterised by rapid-onset T-cell lymphomas, immunosuppression and paralysis causing annual economic losses of around $2 billion worldwide. Compared to other herpesviruses, MDV has several distinct characteristics, the most important one being its strict cell-associated replication and cell-to-cell spread.This collaborative project between eBIC, the Structural Biology Department at Oxford and the Pirbright Institute aims to gain structural insights into the strict cell-associated lifestyle of this major avian viral pathogen using state-of-the-art tools such as cryogenic electron microscopy (Cryo-EM), electron tomography (Cryo-ET) and focused ion beam (Cryo-FIB) milling at Diamond and Oxford.Project will also aim to explore virus-host interactions using the virology expertise at Pirbright, particularly focusing on the interactions of the major viral oncoprotein MEQ that is associated with the induction of lymphomas and increasing virulence. Thus, the project provides the opportunity to study biogenesis of a cell-associated highly oncogenic herpesvirus as well as explore ultrastructure of viral and cellular protein complexes using the most advanced structural biology tools.